CCTV footage revealed his "ridiculous" struggle to get to the shop's tills.

Despite trying with a brick, a chair and even garden shears, he was left defeated.

The weak thief, from Chelmsley Wood in Birmingham, only managed to grab a handful of pound coins from the counter.

But he later dropped most of them as he fled the scene.

Passers-by dialled 999 as he sprinted out the bookies and into a nearby shop, allowing officers to swoop and arrest him just minutes later.

Leigh Barry was left defeated by the security glass, despite trying a brick, chair and garden shears [WEST MIDLANDS POLICE]

“While his efforts may look ridiculous, he was clearly a violent offender and is no longer a danger to members of our communities.”

DCI Simon Wallis, from West Midlands Police

Last week, Barry was jailed for 18 months over the botched raid.

He was also handed a further three years due to his part in a bank robbery from June last year.

DCI Simon Wallis, from West Midlands Police, said: "Despite his relentless attempts to get through to the counter Barry clearly didn’t have the strength to break the glass and instead settled for a handful of pound coins.

"As he went to leave the dropped most of the coins and spent several minutes picking them off the floor.

"This clear CCTV footage made a very strong case against him and he pleaded guilty when he appeared at court.

"While his efforts may look ridiculous, he was clearly a violent offender and is no longer a danger to members of our communities."